For stealing rice one could say hunger caused it but having added wine, no excuse, na longer throat ! ! The sentence might be considered excessive but who knows the circumstances of the owner of the items stolen? With slow sales faced as a result of economic recession, who knows whether the items stolen represent the profit the shop owner would have had or worse still whether the theft would prevent the shop owner from going back to market to re-stock his shop in these trying times that price of goods are rising by the day and seemingly “little” theft might adversely affect his business, his own means of livelihood. If this sentence will serve as deterrent to another would be thief, I do not think it excessive. No thief’s sensibility should override the right of a hard working owner!